Why You Should Retire In Windsor
Ontario is such a large province and there are so many wonderful cities and pockets of this province that are often highlighted as being a desirable place to live and retire… unfortunately in my searches for these sorts of places, Windsor did not come up on my list.
Photography by Vicki Bartel
Living at the bottom portion of the province (and the country) has it’s setbacks and perks. I’ve heard a many times that “Ontario stops at London and that anything South of London is not worth seeing” but from someone who moved from one of the most beautiful places in Ontario (Georgian Bay/Muskoka) to Windsor, I can happily tell you that those nay-sayers are wrong.
Windsor has a population of over 230,000+ people and that’s not including all of the beautiful surrounding communities like Amherstburg, Kingsville and Lakeshore. The area is surrounded by water (Lake Erie, the Detroit River, and Lake St.Clair) and has a rich and interesting history dating back to the early 1910’s. I could go on and on about how cool this area is but I think that’s the fun part about traveling is exploring on your own and figuring out what makes a place so great. On top of being surrounded by water, we host 2 of the 14 land border crossings with the #3 on it’s way with the addition of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
So, by now you’re probably saying to yourself “okay Markie, I get it Windsor is a hidden gem but why would I want to move there” and I knew this was coming, so I prepared a list of some of the best things I’ve found since I moved here in 2018. This place literally has something for everyone and if not, we’re so close to the border that if you can’t get it here you can certainly get it over there.
Wineries - We have great local wineries and tours that you can participate in year round. I have my favourite spots that I like to go and there are always new ones popping up!
Parks + Nature - In our region we have Pelee Provincial Park which is by far one of the most beautiful provincial parks I’ve been to. This park actually hosts the most southern point in Canada which you can visit. We also have a new green-space park coming to fruition between Lasalle and Windsor - article can be found here.
Golf and other recreational sports - have you ever played pickle-ball or tennis? Try it here at one of the incredible facilities and if you like to golf, my husband says take full advantage of our extended golfing season!
Festivals and events - some of my favourite ones to date is Bright Lights, Carrousel of Nations, Art in the Park, Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF), Explore the Shore, Sunsplash and the list goes on. I have never lived somewhere where there is constantly great things happening!
Vibrant small business community - coming from someone who moved here and started a business, there is no small business community like the one in Windsor. We have fantastic makers and vendor markets all year round and there is always something unique for every type of person.
Biking/Walking Paths (Riverfront Path, Ganatchio Trail, Ojibway Park, Maidstone Conservation Area, etc…)
Windsor Symphony Orchestra and Capitol Theatre - music and theatre all year round. If this is your thing, you won’t want to miss also checking out the historical aspects of this region.
Breweries and Distilleries - Hiram Walker Tour, Brewery tours, etc.. we have a great collection to explore!
Farmer’s Markets and Pop-up Markets all year round - One of my favs is the Downtown Windsor’s Farmers Market.
Casino - Caesers Windsor, need I say more?
Culinary Experiences - we are the pizza city that you’ve never heard of (seriously, there is a CBC documentary about our pizza). We also have a wide variety of people from all different walks of life who reside here, which means we have some of the best and unique food!
Orchards and locally grown produce - did you know our region is the tomato capital of Canada and the mushroom capital of Ontario?
Outdoor/Indoor Adventures - paddle-boarding and kayaking, boat tours, our own water-park, or heck even rent a Birdie scooter or bicycle and check out the city.
Museums and Art - We have many museums in our region like Duff-Baby House, Canadian Aviation Museum, and we have our own Art Gallery!
Nature - If you enjoy birding, our area is the place to be! Pelee Provincial Park is a well-known birding attraction as well as the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
Border Crossing (shopping, live events + sporting events, airport, food and night-life etc…). I took my dad to his first NFL football game earlier this year and it was such a blast (Go Bears, whoops I mean Lions… right dad?)
There is truly so much to do here and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface on this.
If you’re still with me (and excited about your big adventure to Windsor), we have lots of different housing options as well as attractive pricing compared to the rest of the province. Average house prices here have been on the rise but are still affordable for someone looking to retire here. We have just about every type of desirable house style you could want like houses on the waterfront, beautiful condos with a view of the Detriot skyline, properties with lots of land, historical neighbours with some seriously beautiful homes (ahem Walkerville), and so much more!
Want to hear what other retirees love about living in Windsor? Here’s what they have to say:
Recently my husband and I decided to make a major life change. With the flexibility that comes with retirement, and the desire to be closer to our children we moved to Tecumseh/Windsor. In a short period of time the uncertainty of the decision we had made turned into excitement for a whole new way of life.
Photography by Vicki Bartel
We found a fabulous designer, Markie (Timber & Plumb) and contractor TJ (Spir Construction) to renovate our new home into something we always dreamed of. The people we have met here are very friendly and welcoming. We have found lots of opportunities to enjoy special events, celebrations, restaurants and shopping in the unique areas within Windsor and the smaller surrounding communities.
We have enjoyed concerts at various venues including at our very own casino, Ceasars Windsor. There are many fabulous wineries we have gone to for meals and have sat at with a glass of wine while enjoying a lake view. We have seen beautiful sunsets on Lake St Clair and bird/ butterfly watching at Pelee National Park on Lake Erie. If you are nature lovers like us, it is interesting to know, Windsor has been picked to be the location for the second Federal Urban Park in Canada. Some of the most unique creatures and plants in Canada are found here. We have enjoyed walking and cycling some of the many trails. Since the climate tends to be warmer, we have been enjoying our outdoor activities more and as gardeners excited to see plants growing here that we would have never been able to grow before.
So with all the things we have done in the last 9 months we feel we have hardly scratched the surface. Our future plans include exploring the arts and history of the area and learning to kayak. For us it really is a whole new beginning and we are happy with the decision we made to come here!
Robin and Wayne D.
So if you’re looking to retire and enjoy your new found free-time, consider Windsor and the surrounding communities your new home!
Cheers friends and thanks for the time to read my blog,
Markie.
Ready to retire in Windsor with your dream home? Click here to learn more about my contracting services to make your vision a reality!
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